Devils Food Cupcakes with Chocolate Pudding Filling and an Oreo Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Makes 24 Cupcakes

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If you couldn't tell by now, I love chocolatey, oreoy desserts. I have a massive sweet tooth and weakness for this kind of stuff. I make chocolate pudding everything because it is suuuuch a crowd pleaser, and when something works, you just can't help it ay?

Oftentimes I'm sitting in bed, scrolling through instagram food reels, and I just get an idea for something stupid...like chocolate cupcakes filled with chocolate pudding and topped with oreo buttercream and then sprinkled with more oreos for good measure. I write it down on my long list of recipe ideas and then forget about it for a good month or two. Well, when I scrolled through my ideas list, I jumped on this one because I was craving chocolate so hard. I couldn't believe I hadn't already attempted it, for the simple fact that I knew it would be a winner. Just so we're clear - I was right.

Give these a try if you're young or if you don't really care about your ticker anymore... i'm only kidding, you gotta live a little always, and that means eating more chocolate cupcakes and maybe one or two less spinach smoothies.

PRO TIPS

• Buttercream can be fickle so make sure that your bowl is completely grease free and clean. Any grease/oil and the egg whites won't stiffen.

• If your buttercream is soupy, place the mixture in the fridge for 10 minutes to cool it down; most likely, your kitchen is too warm or you didn't let the egg white mixture cool down long enough.

• If you are feeling really frisky, sift some oreo crumbs into the chocolate pudding mixture too...

• When making oreo crumbs, scrape off the white filling, because that makes it all gloopy and difficult to work with.

Recipe

Ingredients

Chocolate Pudding Filling

• 1 cup of cream

• 1 cup of milk

• 6 tablespoons of sugar

• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch

• 2 large egg yolks

• 85 grams of semi-sweet or 72% dark chocolate, roughly chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

• 1/4 teaspoon of espresso powder

Devils Food Cupcake Base

• 24 cupcake liners

• 2 cups of plain flour

• 1 cup of cocoa powder

• 1 and a 1/2 cups of granulated sugar

• 2 teaspoons of baking soda

• 2 teaspoons of baking powder

• 1 teaspoon of salt

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup of rice bran oil (or any vegetable oil)

• 1 cup of milk

• 2 teaspoons of vanilla

• 1 cup of boiling water

Oreo Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 6 large egg whites

• 2 cups of granulated sugar

• 2 cups of unsalted, softened butter

• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste

• 1 cup of Oreo crumbs (sifted)

Method

Chocolate Pudding Filling

1. Whisk 1/2 cup of the cream with 3/4 cup of milk, all of the sugar, and espresso powder. Pour it into a pot and place it over a medium heat. Continually stir until the mixture starts to simmer then remove from the heat.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they become slightly lighter in colour.

3. In a small mug or bowl whisk together the cornstarch and the last 1/4 cup of milk.

4. Pour the cornstarch and milk mixture into the egg yolks and whisk to combine.

5. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture - whisk vigorously so as not to cook the eggs.

6. Pour the mixture back into the pot and place over a medium-high heat. Continually whisk until the mixture starts to thicken. Keep on the heat for 1 minute and then remove the pot from the stove.

7. Stir in the chocolate and vanilla until fully incorporated.

8. Pour the mixture into a heat-proof bowl, place a piece of plastic wrap over the top, making sure to press it gently on the pudding so the mixture doesn't form a skin.

9. Place in the fridge for a minimum 3 hours, but preferably overnight.

10. When the cupcakes are cooled down and ready to serve, whip the rest of the cream and fold it into the set chocolate pudding.

Devils Food Cupcake Base

1. Preheat your oven to 180℃.

2. Mix together all of the dry ingredients with a whisk.

3. Pour in the egg, oil, milk, and vanilla. Mix to combine.

4. Pour in the hot water. Mix to combine.

5. Pour the mixture evenly into 12 cupcake liners

6. Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleanly.

7. Let the cupcakes cool completely before filling and icing them.

Oreo Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Buttercream can be fickle, so see PRO TIPS if you have never made it before.

1. Whisk together the egg whites and sugar until just combined.

2. Using a double boiler (a glass bowl over boiling water) heat the egg white and sugar mixture (approx. 3 minutes) until the mixture is no longer grainy to the touch. Whisk continually.

3. Remove from the heat and let cool until the bowl is no longer warm (approx. 10 minutes).

4. Using a paddle attachment (or a good old fashioned beater if you don't have a stand mixer), beat the mixture as you slowly pour in your butter. Beat the mixture until light and fluffy - this may take anywhere between 8-20 minutes, just be patient.

5. Once nice and light and fluffy, fold in your Oreo crumbs, vanilla, and, optionally, 1/2 a cup of the set chocolate pudding you made earlier (trust me).

Serving your cupcakes

1. Using a small, circular bottle lid or cut-out - remove the centre of your cupcake and fill it with 2-3 teaspoons of the chocolate pudding mixture.

2. Place the centre back on your cupcake and gently press it down.

3. Pipe or spoon on a large amount of your buttercream on to each cupcake

4. Decorate with more Oreos and enjoy!!

Stay Salty,

Romy xx